as in girlfriends
a female romantic companion
every Jack must have his Gill
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in canyons
a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage
a narrow gill in the Cumbrian Mountains of the Lake District
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in creeks
a natural body of running water smaller than a river
a narrow but surprisingly deep gill runs the length of the rocky gorge
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gills
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
26 June 2026
These had a head dominated by large eyes and a partially ossified jaw—but again, no external gills.
—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
23 June 2026
Tiny mineral deposits preserved within the gills appear to have acted as calcium stores, helping developing larvae build their shells — a process similar to what scientists observe in living freshwater mussels today.
—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
So are Western destroying angel mushroom, which have creamy white caps and white gills.
—
Sacbee.com,
1 June 2026
Be prepared to be led into temptation at every corner because this tiny neighborhood is packed to the gills with luxury shopping from Bottega Veneta to Prada.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 May 2026
Gill lamellae are thin plates of tissue inside the gills that allow organisms to take in more oxygen.
—
Avni Trivedi,
CNN Money,
27 May 2026
The ‘gills’ built into the ground’s exterior help keep fans cool.
—
Tomás Hill López-Menchero,
New York Times,
19 May 2026
Fish move water across gills rather than air through lungs and nasal passages.
—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
This is an absolute dream machine, packed to the gills with high-octane silicon that will dominate any modern game at maximum settings.
—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
26 June 2026
These had a head dominated by large eyes and a partially ossified jaw—but again, no external gills.
—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
23 June 2026
Tiny mineral deposits preserved within the gills appear to have acted as calcium stores, helping developing larvae build their shells — a process similar to what scientists observe in living freshwater mussels today.
—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
So are Western destroying angel mushroom, which have creamy white caps and white gills.
—
Sacbee.com,
1 June 2026
Be prepared to be led into temptation at every corner because this tiny neighborhood is packed to the gills with luxury shopping from Bottega Veneta to Prada.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 May 2026
Gill lamellae are thin plates of tissue inside the gills that allow organisms to take in more oxygen.
—
Avni Trivedi,
CNN Money,
27 May 2026
The ‘gills’ built into the ground’s exterior help keep fans cool.
—
Tomás Hill López-Menchero,
New York Times,
19 May 2026
Fish move water across gills rather than air through lungs and nasal passages.
—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gills
Noun
-
As the only single player on Team Europe during the 2023 Ryder Cup, the golfer humorously posed with all of his teammates' wives and girlfriends following their win in Rome.
-
On June 6, Bunnie posted another video of herself enjoying the serene outdoors with some girlfriends.
Noun
-
Known for its famous slot canyons, Zion is ideal for hiking and canyoneering—though that doesn’t mean the less athletic traveler will come up short on things to do.
-
From the layer-cake buttes of Badlands National Park to the winding canyons of the Black Hills, this part of South Dakota is legendary.
Noun
-
Locally heavy rain will quickly reduce visibility and result in ponding of water on roadways, standing water in low lying areas, and minor flooding of creeks, streams, and areas of poor drainage.
-
Officials are urging caution around lakes and creeks after a teenage boy drowned Saturday afternoon in flood-swollen waters in northwest Oklahoma City.
Noun
-
For all her talk of women as allies, Siebel Newsom portrays conservative women who criticize other women as dupes manipulated by MAGA leaders.
-
And women who suspect their period pain is more severe than normal should not hesitate to speak with a health care provider, especially if symptoms are affecting their quality of life.
Noun
-
The gardens were developed in the 1930s on a site featuring natural ravines, now crossed by suspension bridges and laced with trails.
-
The face of the moon never looks the same from one night to the next, as the shifting angle between the moon and sun causes sunlight to sweep across its surface, altering the shadows cast by craters, mountain ranges and ravines.
Noun
-
In addition to canceling outside noise, the headphones provide crisp audio and relaxing white-noise options, including rainy parks and babbling brooks.
-
Insects drone over running brooks.
Noun
-
There’s the pleasant background noise of gossipy girls’ dinners and third dates.
-
In 2006, a Vietnamese court convicted him of committing obscene acts with two girls ages 10 and 11 and sentenced him to four years in jail.
Noun
-
From here the route winds south past the town of Telluride, with its legendary skiing and film, jazz and bluegrass festivals, and out to Mesa Verde National Park, where Puebloan people carved gorgeous cliff dwellings in the buttes and gorges.
-
With peaks up to 1,531 metres and cut through by deep gorges, these mountains are wild and spectacular, said Oliver Smith in the Financial Times.
Cite this Entry
“Gills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gills. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
